1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to media content. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for browsing media content based on user affinity.
2. Related Art
Traditional browsers or search methodologies for browsing media content typically present the media in a linear grid format. The resulting view of the media content resembles the image of a “brick wall”. For example, cable or satellite providers typically allow consumers to browse an on-screen programming guide. These guides typically use the “brick wall” format, with channels listed down the left side and times listed across the bottom. This format works well for a relatively small amount of content, but as the amount of content grows, this format makes it increasingly difficult for the consumer to locate items of interest.
Furthermore, many of these television providers do not group channels together by type. For example, if a parent is browsing for suitable children's programming, the parent may have to scroll through various pages of information to find the available children's programming channels. This process can be time consuming, and can involve numerous button clicks on the remote. In addition, traditional systems rely on the consumer's ability to remember where each channel is located in the guide, and what type of content each channel provides.
To help alleviate the complexity, some of these on-screen programming guides include the ability to perform a text-based search for programs by title, but such searches are of little use unless the consumer already knows exactly what he or she is looking for.
Hence, what is needed is a method and an apparatus for browsing large collections of media content without the problems listed above.